Hand-tool.



E; HOPPMANN.

HAND TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.15, 1911.

Patented DGQ. 17,1912.

Iw ntzg the sleeve of the UNITED STATES P ENT oEFioE.

ERNST A. noPPMANN, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNsYnvANIA, ASSIGNOR TO .1). J. 'NoRMoYLE, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

HAND-TOOL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNST A. HorrMANx, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Hand-Tools, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a novel form of tool such as a screw driver, tap wrench, or the like, and has for its object the provision of a novel combination of parts whereby it shall be possible for an operator to disconnect the handle from the body of the tool in order that one of these parts may be turned in either direction to a greater or less extent relatively to the other.

It is further desired to provide a hand tool having the above noted characteristics in which it shall be possible for the operator to make the necessary connection or disconnection of the handle and body by the use of,thc palm of that hand which holds or grasps said. handle; the arrangement being such as to permit of the adjustment or operation desired with the utmost convenience to the operator. A

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a tool of the above noted class which shall be relatively simple and substantial in construction, convenient to operate, as well as inexpensive to make and not likely to get out of order.

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter set forth, referonce being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1, is an elevation, partly in section,

Illustrating my invention as applied to atap wrench; F 1g. 2, 1s a detached perspective of certain parts of the wrench shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing handle, and Fig. 4, is a horizontal section on the line (e-a, Fig. 1.

I In the above drawings, 1 represents the chuck of a tap wrench which with an upwardly extending centrally disposed spindle or shank 2, although it is to be understood that any other desired form of tool may be substituted for that shown such, for example, as a screw driver, a drill, etc. In any case, the part 2 and therefore the main portion of the tool, is designed to be turned 'by'ineans of a handle in this case consisting of a sleeve 3 having cross tars i, the sleeve being constructed to receive the upper end of said spindle. This latter is Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 15, 1911.

s provided Patented Dec. 17, 1912. Serial No. 660,454.

provided at some point, preferably distant from its upper or outer end. with a series of teeth 5 which are designed to removably engage certain other teeth 6 formed on the inside of the sleeve 3: it being possible for the teeth 5 to be disengaged from the teeth 6 when the sleeve is moved longitudinally relatively to the spindle 2. Beyond the teeth 5, the spindle- 2 is in the present instance of reduced diameter and the sleeve 3 is so formed as to provide a bearing for this part of said spindle as well as for that part thereof on the opposite side of the teeth; its upper end being countersunk for the reception of a head 7 rigidly fixed to said re duced portion 8 of he spindle, in the present instance, by being screwed thereon. Confined between this head and the shoulder 9 formed by the bottom of the countersunk recess in the upper end of the sleeve is a spring 10 designed to normally maintain the teeth 6 of the sleeve 3 in engagement with the teeth 5 of the spindle 2. lVith this arrangement of parts the said sleeve 3 and therefore the handle as a whole is normally coupled or operatively connected to the sleeve 2 and may be utilized to turn thelatter and therefore the chuck or other tool element attached to or forming part thereof.

It is obvious thatin using the tool the operator grasps the arm 4 with his fingers so that the head 7 falls within the palm or front portion of his hand, and when, for any reason, it is desirable to turn the handle forward or back relatively to the tool and its sleeve, a tightening of the fingers such as causes a relative movement of the handle 4c and the head 7 toward each other, compresses the spring 10, at the same time freeing the teeth 6 from the teeth 5. The handle 4 with the sleeve 3 may then be turned as long as sufiicient pressure is exerted on the head 7 to prevent'the reengagement of said teeth, although as soon as this pressure is released, the two elements of the tool are again automatically coupled by reason of the expanding action of the spring 10 forcing the teeth .6 of t'he sleeve 3 toward and into engagement with the teeth 5 of the spindle 2.

From the above it will be seen that the wrench may be used with the utmost convenience and in the. quickest manner possible, especially as thetwo sets of teeth are so designed as to transmit power from the handle to the spindle regardless of which way the lol'n'ler is turned.

The combination in a tool ing an extension of less diameter than its bedy forming a spindle, and provided With :1 series of radial teeth on the shoulder between said spindle and its body; a head fixed on the spindle; a sleeve slidable on the spindle; and having port-ions inclosing a part of the head and the teeth of the shank body respectively; said sleeve having a series of inclosed radial teeth formed to engage the teeth of the shank to cause movement of the latter in either direction; a

of a shank havthe head of the spindle to force the two sets of teeth together; and a cross bar fiXed to the sleeve and projecting at right angles thereto, adjacent theheed of the spindle in position to be grasped by the fingers of an operator at the same time that the palm of the hand engages the spindle head.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing: witnesses.

ERNST A. HOFFMANN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM E. BRADLEY, lVM. A. Bnnn.

\ spring inclosed by he sleeve and acting on r 

